CELEBRATING APPRENTICESHIPS
CELEBRATING APPRENTICESHIPS IN BATH
By Fiona Scott , Features Editor
This year marked the tenth anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week ( March 6-10 2017 ) which celebrated the positive impact made by apprentices in UK businesses . Events were held around the UK bringing together employers and apprentices to celebrate the success of apprenticeships over the last decade . Nationally the scheme is run by the National Apprenticeship Service and its aim is to continue to raise the awareness of apprenticeships as a route to a great career .
Apprenticeships are a very important part of the economy here in Bath with many employers large and small , recruiting new talent into the local workforce .
One Bath-based IT firm , Systemagic has won awards for its commitment to being an apprentice employer . Twentyone year old Jack Hayward has just qualified after completing two years of an advanced apprenticeship . Jack said : “ It ’ s been absolutely brilliant . The amount I ’ ve learned is unbelievable looking back . It was more than I could have ever imagined . I now feel confident talking to clients and helping them with their technical questions , queries or challenges .”
There are major changes coming to the way in which apprenticeships are funded which appear to have been largely welcomed by employers . On April 6 , the new apprenticeship levy will come into force in England . This is part of the Government ’ s plan to train three million more apprentices by 2020 ( announced in 2015 ).
The Government is introducing the levy and it will fall on those larger businesses with a pay bill of more than £ 3 million . Those businesses will have to pay 0.5 per cent of their total pay bill to the government to fund apprenticeships minus an allowance of £ 15,000 .
This will in turn allow these businesses access to a digital apprentice service account and they will be able to access funding for their own apprentices . However , all employers should be able to access this digital platform by 2020 .
Alongside these new measures is a register for apprenticeship providers where those organisations will be subject to government scrutiny around quality and finance . Any training providers with an inadequate rating from Ofsted will be excluded from the national register .
On Wednesday March 22 The Business Exchange was proud to sponsor Bath College ’ s Futures Apprenticeships and Jobs Fair . Over 50 local employers with job vacancies exhibited at the college and a series of seminars and workshops were held showcasing the training schemes on offer .
Exhibitors included Bath and North East Somerset Council , Royal United Hospital , Apex Hotels , Avon and Somerset Constabulary , Burges Salmon , Mayden , Rotork and MJ Church .
Jack Hayward , Systemagic
DEVELOPING SKILLS AT BATH RIVERSIDE
Since the extensive redevelopment of Bath Riverside began in 2011 , apprentices from Bath and North East Somerset have been learning skills on site , working on one of the largest regeneration projects in the South West under the guidance of Crest Nicholson Regeneration .
“ It ’ s been absolutely brilliant . The amount I ’ ve learned is unbelievable looking back . It was more than I could have ever imagined ”
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The apprenticeship scheme is part of an inter-agency partnership to boost employment opportunities for local people .
18-year-old Jordon Hodge from Twerton has been on site for 18 months and is currently studying for his NVQ Level 3 in carpentry through the City of Bath College . He says that his apprenticeship has helped him to hone his existing skills and learn new ones .
He said , “ Before I started my apprenticeship I was working as a labourer on a building site . I decided that I enjoyed working on site , but that I wanted to learn
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more and develop my own skills . Being able to earn as I learn has been great for me and I would recommend it to anyone considering a career in construction .”
Ronan Sawyer , 19 , is also working towards his NVQ Level 3 in carpentry . He is following in the footsteps of his brother Callum who completed his apprenticeship at Bath Riverside in 2012 .
Ronan added , “ I left school before working in carpentry for a private firm , but I decided that I wanted to get my qualification to allow me to work on site and open up more options for me . Being
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able to work with a well-known house builder has been brilliant . I ’ m learning new skills working on the biggest building project in the city – it ’ s a great experience .”
Neil Dawtrey , senior projects director for Crest Nicholson Regeneration added , “ Everyone at Crest Nicholson Regeneration has been really impressed with the energy , enthusiasm and skill of our apprentices . Apprenticeships are an extremely important part of the construction industry , helping to build a well skilled work force for the future .”
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Apprentices Jordan Hodge and Ronan Sawyer |
20 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017 |
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